Richardson's Clarissa and the eighteenth-century reader
By: Tom Keymer.
Series: Cambridge studies in eighteenth-century English literature and thought ;; 13
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1992
Place of publication: Cambridge; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 270
Subjects: Richardson, Samuel, 1689-1761; Authors and readers -- Great Britain -- History -- 18th century; Books and reading -- Great Britain -- History -- 18th century; Women and literature -- England -- History -- 18th century; Epistolary fiction, English -- History and criticism; Rape victims in literature; Reader-response criticism
Description: "Clarissa is one of the undisputed masterpieces of eighteenth-century literature and of the English novel. Recently it has also become central to poststructuralist, psychoanalytic and feminist debate. This book, whilst benefiting from recent theoretical studies, restores Clarissa to its largely neglected eighteenth-century context. Reading the novel against a variety of literary, historical and cultural backgrounds, it pays particular attention to the problematic relationship between Richardson's didactic intentions, the complexity of the text itself and the diverse reading experiences of its first audience."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 250-264) and index.